1961 Season Recap

1961 saw NASCAR's drivers attempt to form a driver's union to no avail, but the season also saw a new champion crowned who would later become one of the most influential names in the sport. Ned Jarrett, the patriarch of the Jarrett family of racers, captured his first NASCAR Grand National (now the NASCAR Winston Cup Series) in grand fashion.

Young driver Ned Jarrett won only one race in his championship season, but his consistent finishes were enough to bring him his first title, although his lead diminished over the final weeks of the season.

FIVE RACES TO GO: North Wilkesboro, NC - With five races remaining in the 1961 campaign, Ned Jarrett help a 1852-point lead over defending champion Rex White. Each of the point contenders ran in the top 10 at North Wilkesboro Speedway to maintain a logjam atop the point standings. White won for the 20th time in his career. Fireball Roberts, who finished as the runner-up, kept pace with Junior Johnson and Joe Weatherly, his closest competition in the standings, and their respective fourth and eighth place finishes. The "Golden Greek" Emanuel Zervakis, third in the point standings, finished sixth.

FOUR RACES TO GO: Charlotte, NC - Joe Weatherly beat out Richard Petty by a car-length at Charlotte Motor Speedway to maintain his fourth place position in the standings. Rex White finished fifth in the race while points leader Ned Jarrett came in 18th with engine trouble. His lead was cut to 1062. The Golden Greek finished the race in seventh and was locked into third in the point standings based on the points margin in front of him and behind him. Junior Johnson finished ninth and rival Fireball Roberts came in 29th, closing the gap between the two.

THREE RACES TO GO: Bristol, TN - Joe Weatherly won his second straight race after Junior Johnson suffered from differential problems on lap 394. Weatherly came in a full five laps ahead of runner-up Rex White, who again finished ahead of leader Ned Jarrett. Jarrett's sixth place finish narrowed his lead to 894 points, but with two races to go and 800 total points to be had, Jarrett had clinched his first NASCAR Grand National championship. Emanuel Zervakis turned in another top five finish.

TWO RACES TO GO: Greenville, SC - The streaking Joe Weatherly blew a tire with 8 laps to go at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, allowing Junior Johnson to sneak away with the win. Weatherly recovered for second place. Rex White, recently declared out of contention in the championship chase, came in third. Newly-crowned champion Ned Jarrett celebrated his season with a sixth place finish. Emanuel Zervakis was not entered in the race as he was guaranteed to finish third in the final standings, regardless of the outcome of the final two races of the year. Fireball Roberts had rear end trouble and finished 16th, dropping to fifth place in the standings behind Weatherly.

FINAL RACE: Hillsboro, NC - Joe Weatherly, the hottest driver on the circuit, got his ninth win of the season and third of the last four at Orange Speedway. He also sealed fourth in the final standings over Fireball Roberts, who finished the race in fifth place. Runner-up Rex White and 1961 champion Ned Jarrett finished second and third, respectively. Junior Johnson came home 12th, finishing sixth on the season. Jarrett won the 1961 championship by 830 points over White, winning only once on the year but finishing in the top 10 in 34 of his 46 starts.